SAP PI/PO (SAP Process Integration & SAP Process Orchestration)
This specialist article describes the most important aspects of SAP PI/PO and the necessity of migration to SAP Integration Suite.
Consultant at FIS
What is SAP PI/PO?
SAP PI (Process Integration) and SAP PO (Process Orchestration) are technologies that used to play a central role in enterprise IT when it came to connecting systems, exchanging messages and efficiently designing business processes.
Why is the migration of SAP PI/PO necessary?
SAP PI/PO is a central component for data exchange and the connection of different applications – within the SAP world as well as with non-SAP systems. Along with the progressing digitization, however, the requirements concerning advanced and flexible integration solutions increase as well. Enterprises that do not adjust their integration strategy risk a reduced responsiveness and a restricted scalability when new technologies and applications are implemented. In order to meet these challenges and be well-prepared for the future, a transition to SAP Integration Suite is a decisive step.
The current SAP PI/PO situation
SAP has announced that regular support for SAP PI/PO will be discontinued until 2027, and only limited support will be provided until 2030. As a consequence, a transition to advanced integration platforms such as SAP Integration Suite will become inevitable. Enterprises should plan this transition as soon as possible and actively shape it by using SAP Integration Suite to ensure a future-proof integration strategy.
This cloud-based middleware solution provides comprehensive functions for a future-oriented integration and is an essential part of SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP).
Connection to the SAP Cloud-First Strategy
In the future, SAP will pursue a clear cloud strategy. SAP Integration Suite is a central part of SAP BTP and suppports this cloud strategy by SAP. Enterprises benefit from a Cloud Platform Integration that connects on-premises systems as well as cloud applications.
What is SAP PI – SAP Process Integration?
SAP PI has been developed to provide a central platform for data exchange and communication between different IT systems.
As a consequence, SAP PI is an integration platform that arranges a seamless connection between SAP and non-SAP systems, A2A (application to application), B2B and B2C applications. In summary, the purpose of this platform is the exchange of data between internal and external software.
Therefore, the characteristics of SAP Process Integration are as follows:
What is SAP PI/PO – SAP Process Orchestration?
SAP PO complements SAP PI by SAP Business Process Management (SAP BPM) and SAP Business Rules Management (SAP BRM). As a tool, it therefore enables the modeling and automation of workflows as well as the definition of business rules in addition to the synchronization of data between different systems.
Besides the SAP PI characteristics, the competences of SAP Process Orchestration also include:
On this basis, there are several opportunities provided by the SAP Process Orchestration features:
What is SAP PI/PO monitoring?
Monitoring in SAP PI/PO is equipped with different functions to monitor and analyze integration processes and intervene in case of problems. These functions include:
Monitoring of transmissions to find out whether messages have been processed correctly or errors have occurred.
To ensure that all services work properly, technical components such as adapter engines, integration engines and business process engines are monitored.
The performance of the integrations is analyzed. Bottlenecks and delays are identified.
Setup of alarms to inform administrators about errors or deviations at an early stage and initiate systematic troubleshooting.
SAP PI/PO monitoring is usually carried out with tools such as SAP NetWeaver Administrator (NWA) as well as integration monitoring in SAP Solution Manager. By means of efficient monitoring, downtimes can be minimized, integration problems quickly diagnosed and the stability of the IT landscape ensured. For enterprises with complex and time-critical business processes in particular, this is of decisive importance.
What is SAP Integration Suite?
SAP Integration Suite is a cloud-based middleware solution that supports enterprises in seamlessly connecting applications, data and processes with each other. As part of SAP Business Technology Platform, it enables the integration of on-premises and cloud systems, i.e. SAP as well as non-SAP applications.
Furthermore, SAP Integration Suite is an iPaaS solution (Integration Platform as a Service), which enables the integration of local and cloud-based processes, services, applications, events and data. It automates processes, accelerates innovations and added value.
What makes SAP Integration Suite the better solution?
As a cloud-based integration platform, SAP Integration Suite provides fast, flexible and seamless system integration. It enables faster innovations, accelerated connectivity for increased added value as well as automated networking of business partners and employees.
What is the difference between SAP PI/PO and SAP Integration Suite?
SAP PI/PO is not a cloud-based solution and primarily oriented towards data exchange and the connection of systems. SAP Integration Suite, however, is an iPaaS solution (Integration Platform as a Service), which integrates local and cloud-based processes, services, applications, events and data.
Here, the difference lies in the additional SAP Integration Suite tools. This includes, for instance, that enterprises are always up to date due to the cloud technology used and AI integration supports this development.
What additional functions are provided by SAP Integration Suite?
In comparison with SAP PI/PO, SAP Integration Suite provides the following functions:
Conclusion
The transition from SAP PI/PO to SAP Integration Suite is a decisive step for enterprises wishing to make their business processes and integrations future-proof. In an increasingly digital and networked world, flexibility, scalability and efficiency are decisive success factors. Enterprises that do not carry out this transition in time run into danger of losing their competiveness and being able to respond to technological developments only with delays. SAP Integration Suite provides an advanced and cloud-based integration platform enabling seamlesss networking of systems, efficient controlling of data streams and faster implementation of innovations. The optimization of the integration strategy does not only enable enterprises to improve internal processes but also to make specific use of new market opportunities and to successfully position themselves in digital competition in the long run.